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SEVERAL roads on the Wild Atlantic Way are “not fit for purpose” due to the increasing number of coach tours and vehicles using these routes, a local councillor has claimed. In light of the success of the Wild Atlantic Way and in particular the ever-increasing popularity of the route along the West Coast of Clare, improvement funding has been sought. Councillor Joe Garrihy has called on The West Clare MD to write to Fáilte Ireland, and the ministers for Tourism and Transport to seek appropriate ring-fenced and increased allocation of funding to upgrade, maintain and bring to appropriate standard the road surface, markings, lay-bys and roadside boundaries along this route. “The international marketing and resulting increased traffic along with ever increasing numbers of large coach tours on this route is bringing a usage and scale of wear and tear at a level, which requires ring-fenced funding over and above the standard roads allocation to ensure a quality product and experience …

Clare cyclist Imogen Cotter has been named on the Irish team for the upcoming UCI eSports Cycling World Championships. Cotter has received a wild card to compete in next month’s World Championships. The selection caps a remarkable comeback for Cotter who just over a year ago was struck by a van driving on the wrong side of the road while she was on a training ride in Spain. The Ruan woman had just signed her first professional cycling contract at the time but despite fears that the collision could cost her a career in the sport, she was able to compete again eight months after the accident when racing at the 6th Grote Prijs Beerens in Belgium. Earlier this month, Cotter was confirmed as part of the renamed Fenix Deceuninck squad’s new development team and will compete as a UCI Continental rider. Before the crash, Cotter was in the form of her life as she secured the biggest race win …

Searches of a river in Co Clare for two men missing since last week, have been stood down after one body was recovered from a river in Ennis yesterday afternoon while another was found on a beach in southwest Clare on Saturday. A Garda spokesperson confirmed: “Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances following the discovery of a body of a man in his 80s, in the River Fergus, Ennis, at approximately 1pm. His body has been removed to University Hospital Limerick where a post-mortem will take place at a later date, the results of which will determine the course of the investigation.” The body of the man recovered from the beach is now believed to be that of a man in his 60s reported missing from his home in Ennis on January 21, while the remains discovered yesterday afternoon are thought to be those of a man seen in the River Fergus on Tuesday evening. Gardaí and the Irish Coast …

CLARE TD Cathal Crowe has made an official complaint to the Ceann Comhairle, alleging the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth failed to provide him with information about the provision of a new emergency accommodation facility in Shannon. He appeared on RTE current affairs show Drive Time last week and said that only while on the show he found out that the Department had provided a reporter with information that Deputy Crowe himself had sought, but been refused. “I was flabbergasted because there was information on the airwaves that I wasn’t aware of, and when I tried to get information via the most official route of all, a Parliamentary Question, I was told it was commercially sensitive and they couldn’t tell me.” He said he has been left completely in the dark about the details of plans to place refugees in the Shannon Free Zone. “It’s been a week since I lodged it to the office of the …

BORN in the early weeks of the Irish Free State, Clare’s latest centenarian puts her longevity down to her strong faith and love for traditional Irish music. Last Monday, January 23, dozens of members of Sarah Ryan’s family came together in Quilty to celebrate her 100th birthday. Her son John Joe also has his birthday on January 23, and he turned 77, having been the first of 13 children that Sarah gave birth to. He said there was a fantastic family celebration this week. “It was huge. The family are well spread and it’s large, there were 70 or 80 relatives, grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great children, a massive crowd. “We were very lucky with the day we got as well, it would have been awkward if it was a bad day. On her 90th birthday we went to the Armada but at her age now she wouldn’t be leaving home.” Sarah is still in good health and living …

A CIRCUIT court judge has quashed the no insurance conviction imposed last year on the partner of former Sinn Finn TD, Violet Anne Wynne, John Mountaine (40). At Kilrush Circuit Court, Judge Francis Comerford quashed the no insurance conviction along with the consequent two year driving ban on Mr Mountaine formerly of Pella Rd, Kilrush. The no insurance conviction was quashed at Kilrush Circuit Court on Tuesday after a successful appeal by solicitor, Patrick Moylan on behalf of Mr Mountaine. Last June, in the district court, Judge Mary Larkin imposed the driving ban and the no insurance conviction arising from a Gardai prosecution concerning Mr Mountaine driving a 192 registered black Ford Grand C-Max at Decomede, Lissycasey, Co Clare on February 8 2021. However, with the no insurance conviction now quashed, Mr Moylan said on Wednesday that “Mr Mountaine is fully vindicated” while Deputy Violet Anne Wynne (Ind) claimed that her partner suffered “character assassination” arising from the national reporting …

THE national Coast Guard has been called upon by an independent senator to explain why it sacked ten people who remained in the Doolin Coast Guard Unit. Speaking at a meeting organised by the Irish Coast Guard Volunteer Representative Association (ICGVRA) in the Bellbridge Hotel on Saturday, Senator Gerard Craughwell said the rationale will either stand or fall based on the Coast Guard’s explanation. He said the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport could investigate why private and confidential information provided by Doolin members during previous meetings with outside consultants was given to independent mediator, Kieran Mulvey. The senator advised members to apply on an individual basis to the Information Commissioner asking how this information was passed on and if there was a breach of GDPR. “If there has been a breach of GDPR, then everything that stems from this breach is no longer valid. The GDPR issue is one that only the Information Commissioner can answer. There are questions that …

Clare’s premature 2020 Munster Senior Championship Quarter-Final exit to Tipperary was understandably a bitter pill to swallow. With Kerry and Cork set to face each other at the semi-final stage in the other side of the draw, there was a major opportunity for the Banner to contest a first provincial senior decider since 2012, only to flooringly fall at the first hurdle. In the aftermath of that fragmented Covid-19 season, Brian Carson opted to step aside after two years as head coach but has returned this year with renewed optimism of Clare’s potential. “It’s good to be back. I felt that I had a little bit of unfinished business as I was disappointed with the way it finished up at the end of 2020. I even thought at that stage that if I could come back to Clare at some point I would so I was glad when Colm [Collins] approached me and am delighted to come back. “It’s a …